Life is Strange: Aftershock (Sacrifice Arcadia Bay Ending)
by PaperToadette
Summary: It seemed like it had been forever since I had last seen Arcadia Bay. After the ordeal, both my mom and dad agreed that me staying in Oregon was not the best for me and I found myself on the road back to Seattle... The question is... Is Chloe with me or not?
1. Chapter 1

It seemed like it had been forever since I had last seen Arcadia Bay. After the ordeal, both mom and dad agreed that me staying in Oregon was not the best for me and I found myself on the road back to Seattle.

I'm just glad that Chloe is the one that's taking me.

Even as I'm writing this, I wonder about the choice that I made on that day. The one that nobody would even be able to know or understand about.

But Chloe, Chloe is more important. And I was sick and tired of watching her die. Chloe is my best friend, she's my life. But I can't help and think about all the people left in Arcadia Bay, the ones who would never see tomorrow because of what I chose.  
Warren, Kate, Nathan, Frank, Joyce, hell she even called David her step-father, there were so many people who deserved to live in Arcadia Bay. It's such a shame that David died not knowing that his step-daughter truly respected him after all their fighting.  
If I had gone back and just allowed Nathan to shoot Chloe in that bathroom... no... I can't even think of it now. I just wish that I didn't have to trade everyone else, for the one person I've fought for this entire time.

It just isn't fair. Life is... really fucked up sometimes.

But seeing her face after the nightmare that I've been through that week. It's the best prize that I could of won, no "Everyday Hero" contest or trip to San Francisco could ever top being with my best friend.

I just wonder if she could ever forgive me though for technically being responsible for all those deaths.

"Max, the storm caused this, not you. Nobody knows why you got your time-travel powers. I don't know. But you need to know that I'm here for you."

She would always say something like that with a serious face that made me want to believe her so bad.

And I want to believe her.

I want to.

It took almost a day of driving, with a few breaks here and there, to finally reach Seattle. Chloe, she was dead tired after the long 6 hour drive. And me, I just wanted to sleep for a bit.

I hardly had time to say hello to my parents, they looked just as tired as I was. Who knew that spending 8 hours up straight wondering if your daughter is alive after hearing of a major storm hitting the small town she was in, could cause a parent to worry so much?

My mom, she was surprised to see Chloe with me, and when I told her that Joyce and David, that they didn't make it, and that it took all of our energy just to make it out alive. I could only see the sorrow on their faces.

Mom, she took is the worse. She was friends with Joyce ever since me and Chloe were friends. They probably got into as much trouble back in their day as me and Chloe, only missing a few major details. She just sat there at the kitchen table staring at her cup of coffee with the paper next to her. While she was relieved to see me and Chloe safe and sound, there was still the hint of death that lingered in the air.

Dad, he just stood there in disbelief, before asking us to sit down and enjoy some tea. He was never a man of many emotions besides pride, he probably didn't want to show his shock. He cried a little when William, when he died. (Remember to add that to the list of things I'm responsible for)

Heh. It so strange that I'm even writing this with a cup of tea next to me like nothing had happened.

"Max, it did, it's all hella real. But no worries, Vanessa and Ryan are totally going to let us crash here until we figure something out."

Yeah, Chloe. I just... I just want this all to be over soon.

But another question crossed my mind, should I tell my parents the truth about the storm?


	2. Chapter 2

So, mom asked me if something was wrong when she saw me just staring at the old desktop computer I had in my old bed room. It wasn't nearly as open or lit as my Blackwell dorm.

All I could read was the countless news articles that were sprawling on the internet: "Massive Storm Rages the Northwest" "Small Port Town Destroyed: Hundreds Dead and Homeless" "Freak Weather Turns Deadly"

Just so much grim and death. My facebook account was filled with messages from people who weren't in Arcadia Bay at the time of the storm. Some people thought I was one of the people who didn't make it out. To be, for lack of a better word frank, I think everyone who wasn't there, thought everyone who was there died.

The only people who possibly had a chance of surviving the hell-hole of a storm, were the people in the Dark Room.

I hate to think that THAT place is the only thing left standing, even if the barn isn't.

Because of my time meddling, Jefferson would never get to take those photos of me in the Dark Room. But he could of taken Victoria's... he could of killed her before the storm even came. And David, he knew. He was so close the entire time. And then Nathan... Nathan never stood a chance.

Oh dear god. What have I done?

"Maxine, you feeling ok? You look a bit pale. Why don't you get some rest? Chloe, I hope you don't mind rooming with her until we can find a place for you. Or you could sleep on the couch?"

My mother sounded so worried, so concerned, she even cared about Chloe's preference.

"Nah, I'm totally chill with sleeping with Max. We've had plenty of sleepovers before."

For some reason a blush crossed my face at the though of Chloe sleeping in the same bed I slept in for five years without her.

After my mother left. Chloe looked at me with those eyes of her.

"So, got any good music up here in Seattle? Man, after all that driving I just want to get off my ass!"

Chloe for some reason, always knew what to say to make me smile. I called her a goof-ball, knowing that my parents wouldn't like the loud music so late. However Chloe didn't listen and decided to play some music off of my old desktop. She must of looked it up because I could hear the familar song.

"Come on Max, shake that! You've got to get the blood to start pumping you're looking so pale."

I told her I would be fine, I simply just sat on my bed and watched Chloe dance.

I could watch her dance forever and just feel in piece.

I just wish, I could stay in those little moments of time.

I knew that soon, I would have to tell my story to my mother and father, how me and Chloe survived Arcadia Bay.

I just don't know quite what to say to them at all.


	3. Chapter 3

It was during the middle of the night, that I first heard Chloe cry about David and Joyce.

I had fallen asleep quite quickly, but Chloe, she was still awake when I had closed my eyes.

It was only when I heard the hum of my desktop and saw the light of the monitor, that I woke up to see Chloe staring at the monitor.

She was crying.

And I didn't know what to do.

So I did what comes naturally and simply asked her if she was ok?

"No, nothing is ok Max. I can't believe this."

She was looking at all the news articles. She was looking at the list of people either dead or missing. She had searched for two names.

Joyce Price and David Madsen.

Joyce, I knew where she would be, the Two Whales Diner. She was always a natural caregiver, and if my time-hoping did anything, it showed me where she would of been and what she would of been doing.

I'm glad that Frank and Warren had someone to help take care of people throughout all the storm. And as we drove by, the diner was still standing, but the roof had collapsed and the windows had been blown outward.

Did the gas explosion happen in this timeline because I wasn't there to stop it?

I got out of bed in my pajamas and stood next to her, I looked at all the names of the missing and dead with her. I saw so many people who I expected to be on there. But what about...

"Kate isn't on here, the hospital must of evacuated in time. She must really have a guardian angel."

Chloe's remark was filled with a scoff and resentment.

It only took me a bit before I wrapped my arms around her. She was always so positive and was able to shake things off but this... I don't know how she was doing it for so long.

"Max, I can't believe they are dead." She cried touching my arms. "But you need to know that none of this is your fault, bullshit happens."

I had to ask her, I had to ask Chloe if she felt like any of this was her fault.

"What do you think Max, it was either me or them. It has to be my own fucking fault."

I told her that it was my choice, that I couldn't sacrifice her for the town, because she's my partner in crime. She is my Chloe. The Storm couldn't have her.

But wait, I looked at the name of people, two names that should of been there, but weren't.

That means they could still be alive.

The second I pointed this out to Chloe, she looked at the screen in shock.

"Step-dou... David, could still be alive?" She looked as surprised as anyone could be. "Oh my god!" She turned the chair around as she looked at me.

Those tear filled blotchy eyes, puffy. That wasn't a good look for her. So I quickly grabbed some tissues and handed them to her.

"Max, I could kiss you right now!"

I gently kissed her forehead, telling her that we would have plenty of time for that later, for now she should call David, or anyone who might know if he survived.

The phone rang for what seems like forever. The sound of the ringing on speaker was the only noise that went through my bedroom.

Ring... ring... ring...

"This is Madsen." The male gruffy voice that me and Chloe loved, it seemed slurred a bit and tired.

When Chloe spoke into the phone, we could hear a man break on the other side of the line.

"Chloe, oh thank God your alive. I-I just got out of the hospital out in Portland, everyone they could find was airlifted there. True heroes those men. Though, they... they..."

"David, calm down, I'm fine, so is Max. We've been reading the news trying to find people."

"Where are you two? I looked everywhere for you guys after dealing with that dark room nonsense. Can't believe I find Mark and Victoria down there. Poor girl. She didn't even stand a chance. Though I'm glad we were in a fortress, fortified against any and all opposition."

"What, what happened to Jefferson?"

"Apprehended by the police. He's currently rotting in a jail cell. For the murders of Rachel Amber, Nathan Prescott and Victoria Chase."

"He's going to make some man very very happy." Chloe's voice sounded disgusted.

I asked David if he was well enough to get up to Seattle. Chloe needs some family around right now.

"I could be up around tomorrow night. Though, they are doing a mass for everyone who didn't make it through the storm, even the Governor is coming down to speak about it."

"Oh so some guy in a suit it going to preach about something he couldn't do anything about. Ass-hat." Chloe's words stung hard. It was typical of her by this point.

"I'll talk to you two tomorrow morning, get some rest. You've been through Hell and you deserve it."

When Chloe hanged up the phone she got up from her chair and wrapped her arms around me.

"I can't believe he's alive Max. We managed to save someone."

Who would of thought that that same Chloe who only a handful of days ago would of been slapped by her step-father or get into argument after argument, would miss him so much.

When she let go of me she wiped her tears away and smiled. "Tomorrow, we can talk to him, and find out what happened to Kate."

I gave only a small smile back as moved to my bed and sat down. I told her that she should get some sleep, that we were going to have a long day in the morning.

"I can't sleep man! I just can't believe it." She sounded high off of the news. To which I told her that I'm heading off to bed then, because I unlike her can't live off of no sleep.

"Aww. Max you can be so cute sometimes. Good Night."

Chloe gently gave me a goodnight kiss.

"Sleep tight Max. We've got a long day tomorrow."


End file.
